1951-10-09

Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime Minister):: Mr. Speaker, before you ordered a moment ago that the doors be opened you led us all in our usual prayers, including that for the health and well-being of His Majesty the King, which I am sure we all followed with special fervour this morning.
We have each one of us been so relieved at the constant good news of the king's progress towards a speedy recovery since the grave surgical operation which he underwent two weeks ago-good news that was confirmed to me by Her Royal Highness The Princess Elizabeth when I had the honour of welcoming her and the Duke of Edinburgh at Dorval yesterday-that I am sure we would all wish you, sir, to convey to His Majesty on our behalf, with the expression of our respectful duty and of our loyal devotion, our gratification at his constant progress towards recovery and our sincere good wishes.
After conferring with the leader of the opposition (Mr. Drew) and the leaders of the other groups as to what might be the best way of giving public expression to our sentiments in that regard at this time, in a manner in which each one of us would feel he had some personal part, I venture to propose, with your permission, that we do now rise and sing together "God! Save the King".
Whereupon the members of the house rose and sang
God Save the King



PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT

Mr. Speaker:: I have the honour to inform the house that I have received the following communication:
Ottawa, September 22, 1951
Sir:
I have the honour to inform you that the Right Honourable Thibaudeau Rinfret, Chief Justice of Canada, acting as Deputy of His Excellency the Governor General, will proceed to the Senate chamber at 11.30 a.m. on Tuesday, the 9th October, for the purpose of proroguing the fourth session of the twenty-first parliament.
I have the honour to be, sir,
Your obedient servant,
J. F. Delaute,
Assistant Secretary to the Governor General.



NEW MEMBERS

Mr. Speaker:: I have the honour to inform the house that during the adjournment the Clerk of the House has received from the chief electoral officer certificates of the election and return of the following members, viz.:
Of Gordon Churchill, Esquire, for the electoral district of Winnipeg South Centre.
Of J. Angus MacLean, Esquire, for the electoral district of Queens.
Of Howard Meeker, Esquire, for the electoral district of Waterloo South.
Of Walter Dinsdale, Esquire, for the electoral district of Brandon.



NEW MEMBERS INTRODUCED

[Stage Direction]
Gordon Churchill, Esquire, member for the electoral district of Winnipeg South Centre, introduced by Mr. George A. Drew and Mr. J. G. Diefenbaker.
J. Angus MacLean, Esquire, member for the electoral district of Queens, introduced by Mr. George A. Drew and Mr. W. Chester S. McLure.
Howard Meeker, Esquire, member for the electoral district of Waterloo South, introduced by Mr. George A. Drew and Mr. L. E. Cardiff.
Walter Dinsdale, Esquire, member for the electoral district of Brandon, introduced by Mr. George A. Drew and Mr. J. A. Ross.

Mr. Speaker:: I have the honour to inform the house that during the adjournment I received the resignation of Arthur LeRoy Smith, Esquire, as member for the electoral district of Calgary West.
Accordingly I have issued my warrant to the chief electoral officer to make out a new writ of election for the said electoral district.



COUNCIL OF EUROPE


Mr. Speaker:: I have the honour to inform the house that I have received a communication from Mr. P. H. Spaak, president of the consultative assembly of the Council of Europe, in which he invites the Canadian parliament to send observers to the second part of the current session of the assembly

Council of Europe
which will open at Strasbourg on October 15. I have written to Mr. Spaak thanking him for this invitation and advising him that I would bring it to the attention of parliament. I also informed him that as parliament would not open until October 9 it might not be possible to make the necessary arrangements to have observers appointed. I did, however, assure him that the members of the Canadian parliament would be deeply interested in what takes place at Strasbourg.



ORDERS IN COUNCIL


Louis Stephen St-Laurent: I should like to lay on the table the summary of orders in council passed during the period June 1 to September 30, 1951.



EMERGENCY POWERS ACT


Louis Stephen St-Laurent: I should like to table four orders under the Emergency Powers Act which have not yet been published. They are Nos. 3417, 3484, 4558, and 5122. No. 3417 of July 4, 1951, relates to the disposition of offences committed prior to the coming into force of the code of service discipline; P.C. No. 3484 of August 8, 1951, concerns the operation of certain radio stations in Canada by the United States government, notwithstanding the provisions under the Radio Act; P. C. No. 4558 of August 29, 1951, appointed the transport controller; No. 5122 of September 26, 1951, concerns weighing over of grain at elevators. I am sure that these have already been brought to the public notice but as yet they have not been published in Orders and Regulations. I thought it would be convenient for members to have them available on the table of the house.



PROROGATION OF PARLIAMENT

[Stage Direction]
A message was delivered by Major C. R. Lamoureux, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, as follows:
Mr. Speaker, the Right Honourable the Deputy Governor General desires the immediate attendance of this honourable house in the chamber of the honourable the Senate.
Accordingly, Mr. Speaker with the house went up to the Senate chamber.
The Deputy Governor General was pleased to close the fourth session of the twenty-first parliament of Canada with the following speech:
Honourable Members of the Senate:
Members of the House of Commons:
The people of Canada, in common with His Majesty's subjects elsewhere, were deeply concerned that the state of the King's health made

a surgical operation necessary, and they rejoice at the rapid progress of the King's recovery.
My ministers are gratified that the world situation did not require the resumption of the session before the date originally set when you concluded your deliberations in June. The international situation continues nevertheless to give constant concern to the government.
In Korea, despite prolonged discussions, it has not yet been possible to arrange a cease-fire and hostilities are continuing. To this United Nations' action to defeat aggression, our Canadian forces are making an effective contribution.
Since you adjourned, the state of war with Germany has been terminated by proclamation, and normal diplomatic relations have been established with the federal republic of Germany. A treaty of peace has been signed with Japan which you will be asked to approve at a forthcoming session.
While hostilities have been confined to restricted areas, the government is convinced that general peace can be assured only by the continued buildup of the combined strength of the free nations.
To this end, my ministers welcomed the holding in Ottawa of the most recent meeting of the council of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Certain of the recommendations of the council will require to be considered at a future session.
Arrangements are now under discussion with India and Pakistan for certain projects to be financed from the contribution you approved to the Colombo plan for co-operative economic development in south and southeast Asia.
You also made provision for a Canadian contribution to the United Nations relief and rehabilitation program in Korea.
At the outset of the session, you enacted a measure to vest in the governor in council additional powers which might be necessary to ensure adequate defence preparations to meet the emergency arising out of the present international situation.
The legislation to establish the Department of Defence Production has been implemented and the new department is in full operation.
Agreements are being worked out with the provincial governments to implement the measure you enacted to provide for federal contributions for the payment of old age assistance to those in need between 63 and 70 years of age. Registration is being proceeded with for universal contributory pensions to persons over 70 years of age to facilitate administration when the necessary legislation has been enacted.
You also enacted a separate measure respecting allowances for blind persons; as well as several measures extending the benefits of the veterans charter, and providing for an increase in pensions to certain groups of veterans and their dependents.
You authorized the provision of grants to universities and equivalent institutions of higher learning.
The requirement of the fiat in the case of petitions of right has been abolished.
The Indian Act was completely revised and the new legislation is now in operation. The Post Office Act was also extensively revised.
Other measures were enacted respecting grants to municipalities; the regulation of consumer credit; the grading of dairy products; the construction of a railway from Sherridon to Lynn Lake in the province of Manitoba; and the bequests of Laurier house and Kingsmere.
Among other measures, you amended the Canadian Citizenship Act; the Supreme Court Act; the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Act; the Federal District Commission Act; the Dominion Elections Act; the Judges Act; the Northwest Territories Act;

the Yukon Act; the Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation Act; the National Housing Act; the Foreign Exchange Control Act; the Canadian Wheat Board Act; the Emergency Gold Mining Assistance Act; and the Criminal Code.
Your approval was given to agreements between Canada and France, and Canada and Sweden respecting income tax and to a convention between Canada and France respecting succession duties.
Members of the House of Commons:
I thank you for the provision you have made for the public services and for defence obligations on a scale unprecedented in time of peace.
Prorogation of Parliament
Honourable Members of the Senate:
Members of the House of Commons:
Our people will, I am sure, continue to pray for the complete restoration of the health of the King and for the blessing of Divine Providence upon our nation and the forces of our own and other nations who are striving to maintain the rule of law in the relations between nations.
This concluded the fourth session of the twenty-first parliament.


[Stage Direction]
i>ousfe of Commons! Debates
[Stage Direction]
Speaker: The Honourable W. Ross Macdonald
Tuesday, October 9, 1951

[Stage Direction]
The parliament which had been prorogued earlier this day met again at Ottawa for the dispatch of business.

Mr. Speaker read a communication from :he Governor General's Secretary, announcing that His Excellency the Governor General would proceed to the Senate chamber at three o'clock on this day, for the purpose of formally opening the session of the dominion parliament.
A message was delivered by Major C. R. Lamoureux, Gentleman Usher of the Black Rod, as follows:
Mr. Speaker, His Excellency the Governor General desires the immediate attendance of this honourable house in the chamber of the honourable the Senate.
Accordingly, Mr. Speaker with the house went up to the Senate chamber.
And the house being returned to the Commons chamber:

Louis Stephen St-Laurent: for leave to introduce Bill No. 1, respecting the administration of oaths of office.
Motion agreed to and bill read the first time.



SPEECH FROM THE THRONE

Mr. Speaker:: Speech from the Throne The concern of our people over the rising cost of living resulting from international and domestic inflationary pressures is fully shared by the government. Every measure will be taken which my ministers believe will be effective in counteracting inflation without impairing our free institutions. The anti-inflationary measures already in force have checked the upward trend of prices of goods and services affected by their operation.
The government has received an interim report from the committee studying the combines legislation recommending that suppliers of goods should be prohibited from requiring or inducing distributors to resell such goods at fixed or minimum resale prices. You will be asked to consider legislation arising out of the committee's interim report.
My Prime Minister has conferred recently with the President of the United States on the vital importance to the security and economies of both countries of proceeding as rapidly as possible with both the seaway and the power phases of the St. Lawrence project.
The president stated he would support Canadian action to construct the seaway as second best if an early commencement of the joint development does not prove possible. Terms have been arranged with the government of Ontario for the participation of the Ontario Hydro Electric Power Commission with the appropriate federal or state authority in the United States for the power development in the international section of the St. Lawrence, and with respect to the division of costs between power and navigation. You will be asked to enact legislation to provide for an appropriate agency of the federal government to deal with the construction of the St. Lawrence seaway. The proposed agency would be empowered to proceed either with the Canadian share of an international undertaking or a solely Canadian development, as soon as satisfactory international arrangements can be made for the power phases of the project in both countries.
The commission to consider whether the economic and social returns to the Canadian people on the investment in the proposed South Saskatchewan river project would be commensurate with the cost has been appointed and is pursuing its studies.
The government has decided to proceed with the construction of a causeway to bridge the strait of Canso for rail and road traffic as recommended by the board of engineers, and the government of Nova Scotia has agreed to contribute a portion of the cost.
Pursuant to the recommendations of the royal commission on transportation, amendments will be introduced to the Railway Act, the Canadian National-Canadian Pacific Act and the Maritime Freight Rates Act. The amendment to the Railway Act will include the provision recommended by the commission for maintenance by the nation of the link in northern Ontario between eastern and western Canada.
My ministers will submit a bill embodying recommendations for legislation on radio broadcasting and television of the royal commission on national development in the arts, letters and sciences, including provision for the financing of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation.
You will be asked to consider certain proposed amendments to the Dominion Elections Act.
Bills will be introduced regarding the agricultural products board, Canada land surveys, and the United Kingdom financial agreement.
Amendments will be submitted to the legislation respecting the National Gallery of Canada, the Government Annuities Act, the Public Works Act, the Civil Service Act and the Public Printing and Stationery Act.


Members of the House of Commons:
The government will recommend the immediate establishment of the committee on public accounts and will ask you to refer for its consideration the bill respecting financial administration which will be introduced without delay.
Honourable Members of the Senate:
Members of the House of Commons:
May Divine Providence bless your deliberations.



MOTION FOR PRECEDENCE OF DEBATE ON ADDRESS

Louis Stephen St-Laurent: That the speech of His Excellency the Governor General to both houses of parliament be taken into consideration on Friday next, and that this order have precedence over all other business except introduction of bills and government notices of motions until otherwise ordered.


[Stage Direction]
Motion agreed to.

Mr. Speaker:: I have the honour to inform the house that I have received the resignation of Walter Cunningham Thomson, Esquire, as member for the electoral district of Ontario. I have accordingly issued my warrant to the chief electoral officer to make out a new writ of election for the said electoral district.



BUSINESS OF THE HOUSE


[Stage Direction]
Right Hon. L. S. St. Laurent (Prime
Minister):	Mr. Speaker, the first paragraph
of the speech which Your Honour has just brought back to the house refers to the gratifying fact that we are at this time being honoured by the visit of Their Royal Highnesses The Princess Elizabeth and the Duke of Edinburgh. It was my privilege to attend yesterday with His Excellency the Governor General to extend to them, on their arrival at the airport at Dorval, the warmest welcome of the people of Canada. From there they proceeded to Quebec where they took up this morning the schedule that had been arranged previously when they had expected to come by boat and to land at Quebec. Hon. members know that they will arrive in Ottawa at ten o'clock tomorrow morning and that a full schedule of engagements has been arranged for them, including among others the visit to the houses of parliament at four o'clock tomorrow afternoon; then on Thursday there is, among other engagements, a reception by the government at the Chateau Laurier.
I am sure it will be the desire of all hon. members to take part in the events which have been arranged both to mark the satisfaction of all Canadians at the rapid progress

Special Committee on Procedure
His Majesty is making in his recovery, which made possible the resumption of plans for this visit, and to testify to Her Royal Highness and her consort the high place the crown has in the hearts of all Canadian people.
I should like to move, seconded by the leader of the opposition (Mr. Drew), that when the house adjourns this afternoon, it stand adjourned until three o'clock on Friday afternoon. If that motion is accepted by the house, the intention would be to have the usual motion for an address to His Excellency in response to the speech from the throne moved and seconded. Then I am sure it would suit the convenience of the leader of the opposition and members of the house to adjourn further debate on the address until Monday afternoon. The traditional practice always is to have the motion for the address in reply moved and seconded, then to have an adjournment until the next sitting of the house, at that time to proceed to recognize the leader of the official opposition as the one entitled to speak first. It would be the intention to follow that practice. If I have the unanimous consent of the house, I move, seconded by the leader of the opposition:
That when the house adjourns this day it stand adjourned until Friday, October 12, at three o'clock p.m.
Motion agreed to.

[Stage Direction]
Right	Hon. L.	S.	St.	Laurent	(Prime
Minister) moved:
That a special committee be appointed to prepare and report, with all convenient speed, lists of members to compose the standing committees of this house under standing order 63, said committee to be composed of Messrs. Fournier (Hull), Claxton, Casselman, Knowles and Weir.
Motion agreed to.

[Stage Direction]
Right	Hon. L.	S.	St.	Laurent	(Prime
Minister) presented the following message from His Excellency the Governor General:
The Governor General transmits to the House of Commons a certified copy of an approved minute of council appointing the Hon. Alphonse Fournier, Minister of Public Works, the Hon. Douglas Abbott,
Minister of Finance, the Hon. J. J. McCann, Minister of National Revenue, and the Hon. F. G. Bradley, Secretary of State, to act with the Speaker of the House of Commons as commissioners for the purposes and under the provisions of chapter 145 of the Revised Statutes of Canada, 1927, intituled: An act respecting the House of Commons.

Louis Stephen St-Laurent: When we appointed a special
committee to assist you, Mr. Speaker, in considering the procedure of the house it was understood that this committee would be reappointed at the opening of the ensuing session. I would therefore ask for the unanimous consent of the house to have that done at this time. It should be remembered that the committee consisted of Messrs. Bradette, Brooks, Fleming, Fournier (Hull), Graydon, Harris (Grey-Bruce), Knowles, MacNaught, Pouliot, Quelch and Weir. The reference was:
... to consider with Mr. Speaker the procedure of this house for the purpose of suggesting any changes that may be desirable to assure the more expeditious dispatch of public business-
-with power to send for persons and papers, and to report from time to time its findings and recommendations to the house. It is the same motion that was unanimously adopted towards the end of the last session of parliament. I move that the committee be reappointed.


[Stage Direction]
Motion agreed to.

Louis Stephen St-Laurent: I have one more of these traditional motions, Mr. Speaker. I move, seconded by the Minister of Defence Production (Mr. Howe):
That Louis Rene Beaudoin, Esquire, member for the electoral district of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, be appointed deputy chairman of committees of the whole house.


[Stage Direction]
Motion agreed to.
On motion of Mr. St. Laurent the house adjourned at 4.05 p.m. until Friday, October 12, at 3 p.m.
94699-u
[Stage Direction]
Friday, October 12, 1951